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(ALEX HAVARDANSKY | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Young County Judge Win Graham led discussions with Lieutenant Will Cauthern over the signing of the Flock Safety contract in September which included 24 license plate readers and six video cameras. -
(FLOCK SAFETY | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) A license plate recognition camera from Flock Safety. After approval from the Young County Commissioners Court in September, an agreement was proposed and approved by the court between the Young County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Transportation.
The Young County Commissioners Court approved an agreement with the sheriff’s department and Texas Department of Transportation for the installation and operation of license plate recognition cameras.
In September, the commissioners approved a 12-month contract with Flock Safety for the installation of cameras around the county to aid in law enforcement investigations. The contract included the installation of Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) cameras.
The commissioners met Monday, Dec. 22 and approved by resolution the multiuse agreement between TxDOT and the Young County Sheriff’s Office for installation and operation of the cameras in TxDOT rights-of-way.
The measure passed by a vote of 4-1, with Commissioner Stacy Creswell opposing the motion.
In August, commissioners Creswell and Scott Shook reminded the court of public concerns regarding the cameras, citing the potential for overuse of surveillance and the risk of an abuse of power for smaller criminal acts such as traffic violations.
Young County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Will Cauthern said in August the cameras will be used for significant investigations and would not be indiscriminately storing information on residents.
“I understand a lot of the public’s concerns with the privacy aspect of it,” Cauthern said. “This is an investigative tool. It’s to help prevent crime. The scope of our investigations are not going to be something as minor as traffic violations.”
Cauthen said the ALPR cameras will be used in cities like Graham and Olney in order to help aid criminal investigations, such as stolen or missing vehicles along with individuals who may have active warrants.
This would be done through artificial intelligence programming within the Flock cameras that would allow vehicles to be identified based on their make, color and decals, acting as a digital fingerprint.
In the resolution signed last Monday, the county stated that the ALPR cameras would increase public safety and aid YCSO in crime prevention efforts and strategies.
The total cost for the Flock equipment and installation is $98,000.
That cost is offset with a $78,400 grant from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority, a $19,600 matching grant from the county and additional funding from Senate Bill 22, which provides financial aid to select rural law enforcement agencies each year.
In the contract, funding is included for the installation of 24 license plate readers along with six Flock Safety video cameras.
These cameras and license plate readers will be placed at intersections in Graham and Olney as well as entry points into various areas of Young County to aid local law enforcement in potential criminal investigations.
The city of Graham also considered Flock Safety cameras at each entrance to Graham, but removed funding for the project from the proposed budget in August. Flock live video cameras were approved for the downtown square.
The city also allocated $1,700 in funding in partnership with Young County to cover the cost of cameras at the Hwy. 16 N, Hwy. 67 and Hwy. 380 Bypass intersection in Graham.
Graham and Olney split the cost 50% for the installation of equipment in their respective cities, while the county covered the remaining 18 license plate readers and two surveillance cameras, based on the proposed interlocal agreement.
